1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to belts used to secure objects or persons.
2. Description of Related Art
Various fastening belt devices are known in the related art. Some non-exhaustive examples include the following:
Belt securing devices with grip handles to tighten a belt or strap are known in the related art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,291,552 to Gopal et al, U.S. Pat. No. 7,444,718 to Chang, U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,798 to Rawdon et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,833 to Knox et al.
Further, belt securing devices which roll unused portions of a belt or strap onto a spool are known. For example: U.S. Pat. No. 7,559,729 to Ruan, U.S. Pat. No. 7,444,718 to Chang, U.S. Pat. No. 7,232,089 to Inagawa et al, U.S. Pat. No. 7,083,135 to Fleischmann et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,802,470 to Smithson et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,798 and to Rawdon et al. However, such devices lack a “lay flat” or parallel exit of the unused portion of the belt.
Also known are devices with a lay-flat portion of the belt upon exiting the buckle. These include, for example: U.S. Pat. No. 9,277,776 to Laatz, U.S. Pat. No. 8,291,522 to Gopal et al, U.S. Pat. No. 7,263,750 to Keene et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,170 to Cho, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,833 to Knox. However, such devices lack a ratcheting system to maintain the belt.
Furthermore, devices which provide a ratchet system to maintain the tension of the belt are known. For example, such devices include: U.S. Pat. No. 9,277,776 to Laatz, U.S. Pat. No. 7,559,729 to Ruan, U.S. Pat. No 7,444,718 to Chang, U.S. Pat. No. 7,232,089 to Inagawa et al, U.S. Pat. No. 7,083,135 to Fleischmann et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,802,470 to Smithson et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,170 to Cho, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,798 to Rawdon et al. However, such devices lack quick loosening, tightening and exit without a separate portion which clips into the buckle.
In addition, some known devices provide for a quick loosening, tightening, and exit without a separate part that clips into the buckle. These include U.S. Pat. No. 9,277,776 to Laatz and U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,833 to Knox.
Conventional motor vehicles are typically equipped with a fabric restraint system, including a wide range of tie-down systems. Some tie-down systems with ratcheting tightening and handles for mechanical advantage are known. An example is U.S. Pat. No. 7,444,718 to Chang. Current art typically rolls the unused portion of the belt on a spool though there are early examples and the example of modern aircraft seatbelts where the ante-buckle length belt does lay flat though it is retained by a cinch with no mechanical assist for tightening. Typical consumer versions in passenger cars have an automatic roller which generally engages during a crash or sudden stoppage event, having tension at all times being considered a burden on the operator. U.S. Pat. No. 7,232,089 to Inagawa teaches a typical example of a spooled vehicle belt take-up system. Other examples can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 7,083,135 to Fleischmann and U.S. Pat. No. 6,802,470 to Smithson. Such conventional spool-based systems facilitate quick release of the belt material due to aspects of the spool allowing belt length to unroll off the spool when not in a crash situation. However, such conventional spool-based systems have no mechanical tightening assist of any sort nor maintenance of tension.
Typically, high-performance racing vehicles have seat belt systems require use of a tool or wrench to tighten the seat belt. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,559,729 to Ruan, a ratcheting spool device is disclosed for use in a cargo tie down which requires use of a separate tightening tool; a spool is required; and no quick release of the belt is provided. In such conventional seat belt systems, it is then necessary in a passenger restraint application to move the conventional spool away from the operator and mount such conventional spool out of the way in a different location, such as on the floor of the vehicle. Some vehicle restraint systems and other securements allow for a buckle by allowing feed-through of the belt material through such buckle, with the belt material exiting parallel to the incoming tensioned material. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 9,277,776 to Laatz teaches a ratcheting buckle for securement of a clothing item. Also For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,833 to Knox and U.S. Pat. No. 8,291,552 to Gopal each teach lay-flat spool-free designs, but do not teach convenient continuous feed-thru tightening. Laatz does not require a spool but does requires a notched strip built into the belt and has no force multiplication device to increase tightening forces. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,170 to Cho teaches a buckle which teaches a rotating ratchet to enforce non-slippage of the belt and a spool-free design, again with the requirement of a special surface in the belt to match the ratchet and no mechanism to apply significant tightening force. Particularly for passenger restraint use, such conventional devices typically have a one-hand operable release mechanism where the mating insert of the device attached to the opposing length of belt, if not the belt itself, is released. These are typically seen in conventionally mandated passenger seatbelts such as those taught by Keene in U.S. Pat. No. 7,263,750. This does not provide for convenient adjusting of belt tension of a heavy or debris covered belt as is encountered in off-road racing or securement of cargo in primitive or dirty environments.
Designs featuring grip handles to apply strong tightening forces are known. Such conventional handles typically place the inactive length of belt on a spool. An example is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 7,444,718 to Chang. Another is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,798 to Rawdon et al, teaching the tightening handle (76) and the spool, or “ . . . fluted spindle (98) onto which the belt is wound . . . ” without any lay flat capability for the non-active part of the belt.
It can be seen from the related art that there is a need for a securement system combining several features, including: mechanical assist in tightening, continuous feed capability, quick release of the belt, and spool-free operation. It can be seen that there is also a need for a seat belt securement device which provides a mechanical tightening assist with a spool free design that can accommodate any length of belt, a quick release mechanism of the belt itself, the ability to continuously feed any length of belt or strap through the buckle with mechanical assist and the ability to use plan belt material without any special features or surfaces to interact with the ratchet.